Pneumatic thread control system for weft replenishing looms



p 1949- G. N. PETERSON PNEUMATIC THREAD CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Nov 8, 1947 4 O E 4 T D! E N E N E V fi N E J M I M m 4 Z a e. 5 C H 4 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 20, 1949 more!) STATE PNEUMATIC THREAD CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS George N. Peterson, Grafton, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 8, 1947, Serial No. 784,793

14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a pneumatic thread control system for such a loom so constructed as to make efficient use of the subatmospheric pressures with which the system is supplied.

Weft replenishin looms ordinarily operate in such manner that two threads remain incident to each replenishing operation, one from the outgoing bobbin, and the other from the incoming bobbin. It has been proposed heretofore to remove both of these threads from the loom by pneumatic suction meansconnected to some form of pump or the like serving as a source of subatmospheric pressures. The thread of the outgoing bobbin is ordinarily sucked into a thread remover, while the thread of the incoming bobbin is drawn into a pneumatic thread holder.

In the past it has been customary to make the intake mouths of both the remover and the holder of fixed size and each of these devices has constituted a fixed load on the source of subatmospheric pressures. It is an important object of my present invention to provide the thread remover with a variable intake mouth so constructed that it is normally almost closed to allow only a small amount of leakage into the system but is temporarily opened during the'weft replenishing operation to receive the filling thread of the outgoing bobbin. A thread control system provided with this type of thread remover'will be able to exert the greater part of its pressures at the thread holder which ordinarily will have a number of threads which need to be kept under tension and are ordinarily removed on beats of the loom other than those on which weft replenishment occurs.

Pneumatic thread'removing means in the past have employed a tube normally in raised position but depressed to a thread pick-up position near the lay at the time of bobbin transfer. It is another object of my present invention to provide means whereby the movement of the thread remover to pick-up position can be utilized to operate a valve which will effect wide opening of an intake mouth which is normally open to a slight degree only.

The weft end of the outgoing bobbin is ordinarily cut at a point near the shuttle eye and this end of the filling thread is drawn into the remover mouth. The other end of the thread will ordinarily remain attached to the selvage and be cut from the latter by the temple cutter several picks after the replenishing operation. It is another object of the presentinvention to provide the aforesaid remover tube with a rotary valve which will normally close all but a small part of the intake mouth preferably facing the selvage and into which that part of the thread cut from the selvage can be drawn. The rotary action of the valve serves to lift the filling thread from the bottom of the tube to a part thereof which directly faces the selvage so that upon cutting at the latter the thread can be promptly drawn into the tube.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the descriptionproceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of a weft replenishing mechanism having my invention applied thereto, the lay and part of the loom frame bein shown in section, 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of part of the structure shown in Fig. 1, showing the thread remover in its normal position in full lines and in its thread pick-up position in dotted lines,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the rear end of the thread remover tube shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the tube in depressed thread pick-up position with the intake mouth wide open,

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 55 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on'line 6-6 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a detailed horizontal section on line 'l-1, Fig. 4,

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the trip device for the rotary valve lookin in the direction of arrow 8, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the thread remover with respect to other parts of the pneumatic thread control system.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the loom frame I I! has secured thereto a support I] provided with a stud l2 on which the magazine M is rockably mounted. The support I l is provided with astud IS on which the transferrer arm I4 is pivoted.

A thread remover carrier I5 is pivotally mounted on stud l3 and is provided with a friction mechanism designated generally at It effective to hold the carrier in any position to which it may be moved. A laterally extending stud I! on the transferrer arm, overhangs a shelf l8 formed on the rear part of the carrier IE to depress the latter when the transferrer arm descends from its normally raised position durin a weft replenishing operation. This latter operation will ordinarily occur when the lay L is at front center position so that a bobbin drawn from the magazine can be inserted into the shuttle S and at the same time the depleted bobbin B in the shuttle can be discharged therefrom. A vertical rod [8 rises as the lay approaches each back center position and engages the carrier and returns it to normal raised position after each descent of the transferrer arm.

The carrier has a pneumatic tube 2!! slidably mounted thereon and held normally in rearward position by a spring 2| acting between a wall 22 on the forward part of the carrier and a collar 23 secured to the tube forward of a second wall 24 on the carrier. Spring 21 permits forward movement of tube 29 should the latter be struck by a misplaced shuttle. The forward end of tube is attached to a pneumatic hose or tube 25 through which subatmospheric pressures are created within the tube 2!]. 7

Referring more particularly to Fig. 9, the loom is provided with a source of subatmospheric pressures, such as a pump P, pneumatically cornmunicating with athead accumulator or collector C. A thread holder H in pneumaticcommunication with collector C pneumatically attracts the weft ends W of the bobbins B in the magazine. The tube 25 also connects pneumatically with the interior of the collector C. A pad P of pile material, such as plush, is secured to the lay under the shuttle path and aligned with the remover tube 20.

b At the time. of replenishment a filling thread F will extend from the shuttle toward the cloth 2G, and thisthread is cut adjacent the right end of the shuttle as viewed in Fig. 9 by cutter mechanism 2? of known form. At a later time in the loom cycle, which may be several picks subsequent to replenishment and operation of cutter 21, a selvage or temple cutter 28 will cut the thread F from the cloth. that pick of the loom when the filling'thread F is out by cutter 21 its right hand end, Fig. 9, willbe drawn into tube 28, but its left hand part will remain attached to the cloth until severed by the cutter 28. whereupon the thread will pass through the remover tube to the interior of the thread collector C3. h

The matter thus far described is of common construction and may be made as shown for instance in prior U. S. Patents Nos. 2,199,296 and 2,207,089.

My present invention relates to means for controlling the thread intake mouth of the remover tube in order to make efficient use of the air under subatmospheric pressures created by the pump P. As shown herein 1 provide the tube with a valve which increases the opening of the thread intake mouth as the tube moves down from its normal raised position to thread pick-up position, and then decreases the mouth opening as the tube rises.

The rear end oftube 20 has fitted thereinto a plug 38 having a stop flange 31 projecting laterally therefrom. The under side of the tube is cut away to provide a slot or thread intake mouth 32 located at the rear end of the tube and in position for receiving the filling thread F when the tube is down in thread pick-up position. A rotary sleeve valve .35 fitting around the rear end of tube 20 is limited as to rearward movement by flange 3! and is provided with a pin 35 engaging the rear end of a light torsion spring 3! the forward end of which is held by a collar 38 secured by set screw 39 in adjusted angular position on the tube 29. Collar 38 serves as a stop to limit forward movement of sleeve 35 relatively to tube 29. The normal effect of the spring 31 is to turn the rotary valve 35 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6.

The sleeve valve has fixed thereto an arm 48' which cooperates with a trip mechanism desi nated generally at ii i. The latter may be made of sheet metal and is secured in adjusted vertical position on support H by screw 42. The lower part of the trip mechanism as shown in Fig. 8 is bent as at as to the right toward the tube 20 and then upwardly as at 44 to form a tripping edge t5 for engagement with arm as. This tripping edge as seen in Fig. 2 is spaced from the stud l3 which is the axis about which the remover rocks from its normal position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to the pick-up position thereof shown in dotted lines, 2. The rotary sleeve valve 35 is provided with a slot or mouth 4% in alignment with the mouth 32. M w I In operation, the carrier l5 and tube 28 will be normally raisedand spring 3'! will hold the arm 38 down against the operating or tripping edge 45 of the trip mechanism 45. In this position the slot will have a small part of the lower end thereof overlapping the right hand upper part of the mouth 32 as viewed in Fig. 5, thereby defining a small intake mouth .i'l On a weft replen ishing beat of the loom tube 26 will descend and the stationary trip mechanism ll by its engagement with the arm as will cause the rotary sleeve valve 35 to rotate oh the tube 29 as the latter descends and move the valve so that its slot 15 will uncover the greater part of mouth 32 to open the latter. v y

When the tube descends the mouthwill be be hind the filling thread F, and as the lay recedes subsequent to replenishment it will move the filling thread rearwardly to the open intake mouth 32. The lower part of flange 35 will be in the pile of pad P and. stop rearward'movement of the thread F when it reaches the intake mouth. Fric: tion means It will be able to hold the tube 20 down against the action of spring 31. k n

As the lay nears its back center position rod 48 will raise the carrier 15, and'as the tube 20 rises from its pick-up position to its normal position spring 3? will rock the valve 35 back to the position shown in Fig. 5. Under these conditions that part of the thread F stil1 attached to the selvage will extend through the small part of the intake mouth now remaining exposed and indicated at 6 1. This month faces the cloth, and when the thread is ultimately severed from the cloth by cutter 28 it will be drawn into the restricted mouth 4? and along the tube 25] and hose 25 to the thread collector C.

This second cutting at the selvage will ordi' narily occur several picks after replenishment and at about the same time that the thread of the incoming bobbin is cut at the selvage. Upon cutting of the incoming thread the latter will be removed by the thread holder H, but at this time the intake mouth of the remover is almost completely closed and'substantially all of the subatmospher-ic pressure creating capacity 7 of the pump B will be availableat the thread holder for removal of the thread of the freshly transferred bobbin The tripping edge 45 is made sufficiently long to maintain operating contact with the arm 40 Should the tube 20 be moved forwardly by a misplaced "shuttle'against the action of spring 2|. Edge'45 is shown as horizontal in: Fig. 1, but this is not the only position it can have. It will be suflicientif the arm 40 remains in contact with the tripping edge during forward" andsubsequent rearward movement of the tube 20.

From the foregoing it will be seenthat I have provided a simple form of valvemechanism for the'thread remover tube of a pneumatic thread control system for weft replenishing looms operating in such manner that the thread :intake mouth of the remover is substantially closed at all timesexcept on replenishing beats of the loom for the purpose of preventing air leakage into the pneumatic system. Because of the operation of the valve 35 the greater part of the subatmospheric pressures created by the pump P are available for drawing threads into the thread holder. When a' weft replenishing operation occurs, however, downward movement of the tube will rock the Valve to open intake mouth 32 so that it can attract part at least of the thread F. The small mouth 41 faces'the cloth and air moving into it will draw the remainder of the thread into tube 20 when'cutting occurs at the selvage. While I have shown a specific form of valve for opening and closing the thread intake mouth of a pneumatic thread remover I do not wish necessarily to be limited to the specific form shown herein, since it will'be within the spirit of the invention'if the valve operates in such a manner as to open the intake mouth fully only on those picks of the loom when replenishment occurs. Furthermore, tripping edge 45 islong enough to remain in contact with arm '40 even though tube 20 should be pushed forwardly by a misplaced shuttle. I

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the' art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a filling thread to be removed, a source of subatmospheric pressures, a pneumatic thread remover including a tube pneumatically connected to said source and having an intake mouth normally spaced from the thread but moving to thread pick-up position on a weft replenishing beat of the loom, means mounted on and supported by the tube partially closing said mouth when the latter is spaced from the filling thread, and mechanism cooperating with said means opening said mouth when the latter moves to thread pick-up position.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a filling thread to be removed, a source of subatmospheric pressure, a pneumatic thread remover including a tube pneumatically connected to said source and movable about a pivot from a normal position spaced from the thread to a pick-up position adjacent to the thread, said remover having a thread intake mouth, and means on and supported by the tube partially closing the intake mouth when the tube is in normal position and controlled from a point spaced from the axis of the remover to maintain the intake mouth open when the remover is in thread pick-up position.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a filling thread to be removed, a source of subatmospheric pressure, a pneumatic thread remover including a tube pneumatically connected to said source and when in normal position being spaced from the thread but moving to a pick-up position adjacent to the thread on a weft replenishing beat of the loom, s"aid-i'emovei"tube having an intake.

mouth for the thread; and a valve supported by and rotatably mounted on the tube normally. par-1 tially closing said mouth when the tube is in nor-'. mal position but actuated by movement of the remover to open the mouth when the remover moves to pick-up position.

. i. In a weft'replenishing loom having a filling thread to be removed, a source of subatmospheric pressure, a thread remover pneumatically connectedto said source and when in normal position being spaced from the thread but movable about aniaxis to a pick-upposition adjacent to the thread, said remover having a thread intakemouth, a rotary valve .on the remover normally partially closing said mouth when the remover is in'the normal position thereof, and means operatingfrom a point spaced from said axis to effectrotary movement of the valve to open the intake mouth when the remover moves about said axis to the 'pick-upposition thereof.

5'. In a pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom havinga source of subatmospheric pressures, a tube pneumatically connected to said source and movable from normal position to-thread pick-up position and back to normal position and having a thread intake month there in; a'valve for regulating the amount of opening of the intake mouth normally closing all but a small part of the mouth to conserve the subatmospheric pressures in said source when the remover is in normal position, and operating means for the valve causing movementof' thelatter to open the mouth when the remover moves from normal.

to thread pick-up position. i .6.'In a pneumatic filling thread remover for a Weftreplen-ishing loom having a source (if subatmosphericpressures, a tube pneumatically connected to said source and having an intake mouth formed therein, a valve capable of assuming a position inwhich the intake mouth is open to a slight degree to conserve subatmospheri-c pressures in said source and capable of assuming another position in which the intake mouth is open to a larger degree, a pivotal mounting for the remover about which the latter moves angularly, and means dependent upon angular movement of the remover incident to a replenishing operation of the loom causing the valve to move from said slight degree of opening of the intake mouth to the other larger degree of opening thereof.

7. A pneumatic filling thread remover for a weft replenishing loom having a bobbin transferrer arm, means mounting the remover for movement by the transferrer arm from the normal position thereof to a thread pick-up position on a weft replenishing beat of the loom, said remover having a thread intake mouth, and a valve partially closing the mouth when the remover is in normal position and opening the mouth for reception of a thread when the remover is in pick-up position, said valve effective when the remover returns from pick-up position to normal position to move the thread into the partially closed mouth.

8. In a pneumatic filling thread control for a thread cut at one point in a loom shuttle box and cut at another point near the cloth selvage, a pneumatic thread remover intermediate said points of cutting having an intake mouth of variable size and normally spaced from the thread but movable to pick-up position adjacent to the thread, and control means for the mouth causing the latter to be only partly open on the side of the remover facing the cloth selvage when the remover is in normal position and causing the mouth to be Wide open on sides facing both points: of. cutting when the remover: is in pick-up position.

9. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing loom, a filling thread remover means, a weft end holding means, a. source of subatmospheric pressures pneumatically connected to both of said means, each means having a thread intake mouth, and means normally substantially closing the mouth of said remover means at all times during loom operation except on weft replenishing beats of the loom, when said remover mouth is opened, to the end that the subatmospheric pressures of said source are principally available for the weft end holder.

10. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing loom operating with a lay and shuttle, a pneumatic thread remover movable from normal to thread pick-up position on a weft replenishing beat of the loom and having a thread intake mouth and mounted for forward motion by a misplaced shuttle when in pick-up position, a valve on the remover limiting the mouth to a small size when the remover is in normal position, and means including a part on the valve and a stationary part cooperating with said part on the valve to move the latter to increase the size of the mouth when the remover moves to pick-up position, one of said parts being elongated in the direction of said forward motion of the remover.

11. In a pneumatic thread control system for a weft replenishing'loom operating with a lay and shuttle, a pneumatic tube movable from normal to thread pick-up position on a weft replenishing beat of the loom and having a thread intake mouth, means mounting the tube for forward movement when engaged by a misplaced shuttle and in pick-up position, a valve on the tube movable to vary the size of the intake mouth,

and two engaging-parts cooperating to effect movement of the valve to increase the size of the mouth as the tube moves to pick-up position, one of said parts being on the valve and one of said parts having aportion maintaining engagement with the other part during forward movement of the tube by the misplaced shuttle.

12. A pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom comprising a tube having a thread intake mouth, a valve rotatable on the tube to vary the size of said intake mouth, and means on the valve by which the latter can be rotated on the tube relatively to said intake mouth to vary the size of the latter.

13. A pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom. comprising a tube having a thread intake mouth, a valve mounted on and supported by and movable relatively to the tube to vary the size of said intake mouth, and means on the valve by which the latter can be moved relatively to said tube and mouth to vary the size of the latter.

14. A pneumatic thread remover for a weft replenishing loom having a stationary tripping means, said remover comprising a tube having a thread intake mouth, a valve rotatable on the tube to vary the size of said'mouth, and means on the tube for engagement with said tripping means to rotate the valve relatively to the tube to vary the size of said mouth.

GEORGE N. PETERSON;

REFERENCES CETED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

